1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for simultaneously winding several yarns into separate yarn packages or reels on the same spindle and also to a process and apparatus for the formation of a transfer end during the winding process.
In the following description and appended claims the term "yarns" means any filamentary material whether in the form of continuous or discontinuous threads or filaments, or any fiber-like product. However, the yarns dealt with in this application are preferably continuous yarns.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
One type of winding frame used in the textile industry includes at least one spindle for simultaneously winding several yarns on each spindle by forming separate reels side by side. Each reel is made up of a single yarn or a group of several parallel single yarns, with the group behaving like a single yarn from the viewpoint of its path of travel in the winding operation. For the sake of simplicity, in the following description and appended claims the term "yarn" will also designate both a single yarn and a group of parallel single yarns acting like a single yarn from the viewpoint of its path of travel.
When several separate reels are made on the same spindle, the reels are formed either on a single yarn support (tube) or several supports placed end to end on the spindle, the number of the supports being at most equal to the number of yarns.
The yarns passing through stationary positioning guides are distributed with reciprocating motion along their respective supports by a device provided with reciprocating guides. There are as many positioning guides and reciprocating guides as reels to be made, the number of reels being equal to the number of yarns. Driving of the reels in rotation can be accomplished by a driven spindle or by a pilot roller coming in contact with the outside of the reel or by combination of these two means.
The above type of winding requires the simultaneous depositing of all the yarns on the spindle. French Pat. No. 2,378,708, commonly assigned with the present application, relates to an apparatus which makes it possible to perform this simultaneous depositing of the yarns. The apparatus includes a device for selecting yarns, the selecting device being made up of a guide ramp extending ahead of and parallel to the movement of the reciprocating guides, the ramp being cut by straightline escape slots at a rate of one slot per yarn site. During the throwing or depositing of the yarns, the yarns pass through different positioning guides, are then grouped at the level of a handling gun and hooked at the end of the spindle by the gun. The yarns slide along the ramp, because each of them, under the influence of recall forces, has a tendency to move along the perpendicular between the positioning guide and spindle. By resting on the ramp, the yarns are disengaged from the reciprocating guides. The yarns being grouped on the spindle at the time of hooking, but coming from separate positioning guides, are at the level of the ramp with different inclinations. The orientation of each escape slot being a function of the inclination of the yarn to be selected at the level of its reel size, the yarns, one after the other, escape from the ramp by their respective slot and fall into the area traversed by their reciprocating guide which grabs them. A device for forming transfer ends, for example by a swinging pin, can be mounted on each reel site.
While the apparatus of this French patent has met with substantial success it is quite complex and requires a high degree of machining precision making it difficult to manufacture and expensive.